Crew members say they got distracted; NTSB is investigating pilot fatigue

updated 17 minutes ago
MINNEAPOLIS - Federal officials said Thursday they were investigating whether pilot fatigue was a factor in a Northwest Airlines jet overflying the Minneapolis airport by 150 miles before crew members discovered their mistake and turned around.

The plane landed safely Wednesday evening, and none of the passengers or crew was hurt, the National Transportation Safety Board said. Northwest's parent, Delta Airlines Inc., said the jet carried 144 passengers and five crew members.

The NTSB said Northwest flight 188, an Airbus A320, was flying from San Diego to Minneapolis and lost radio contact with controllers just before 7 p.m. CDT when it was at 37,000 feet. The jet flew over the airport just before 8 p.m. and overshot it by 150 miles before communications were re-established at 8:14 p.m., the NTSB's statement said.

"http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33436497/ns/travel-news"

This is a tough one to swallow knowing that before takeoff pilots program destinaiions in to the navigation system and are constatly watching for position changes during flight
Somithing oes no compute here

I call BS, it sounds like they fell asleep!!!

After they investigate the black box they won't hear a "heated debate" they will only hear snoaring.

Lost contact, or just didn't hear the calls? I am leaning to the same conclusion that L0A1 has. Wouldn't surprise me if they got carried away with partying before their flight and didn't get enough sleep before take off.

Pilots should have had warning of airport approach

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Air traffic controllers, other pilots and even a flight attendant on an intercom tried desperately to talk to two Northwest Airlines pilots as their plane flew 150 miles past its destination before turning back.

Unable to raise Flight 188, police and FBI agents on the ground were preparing for the worst, and the Air National Guard put fighter jets on alert at two locations as the drama unfolded Wednesday night.

Pilots from two other planes in the vicinity were finally able to reach the pilots using a different radio frequency, a controllers union spokesman said. A flight attendant in the cabin also was able to contact them by intercom, said a source close to the investigation who wasn't authorized to talk publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

By that time, the Airbus A320 was over Eau Claire, Wis., and the pilots had been out of communication with air traffic controllers for over an hour. They turned back and landed safely in Minneapolis, Minn. , the plane's scheduled destination.

The crew told authorities they were distracted during a heated discussion over airline policy, said the National Transportation Safety Board, which is investigating the incident. airport

More at...

>>>http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_NORTHWEST_AIRPORT_OVERFLOWN?SITE=DCSAS&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

I see two more people joining the ranks of unemployment very soon. Hope they enjoyed the nap.

quote:

Originally posted by IHAWKER:
Pilots should have had warning of airport approach

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Air traffic controllers, other pilots and even a flight attendant on an intercom tried desperately to talk to two Northwest Airlines pilots as their plane flew 150 miles past its destination before turning back.

Unable to raise Flight 188, police and FBI agents on the ground were preparing for the worst, and the Air National Guard put fighter jets on alert at two locations as the drama unfolded Wednesday night.

Pilots from two other planes in the vicinity were finally able to reach the pilots using a different radio frequency, a controllers union spokesman said. A flight attendant in the cabin also was able to contact them by intercom, said a source close to the investigation who wasn't authorized to talk publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

By that time, the Airbus A320 was over Eau Claire, Wis., and the pilots had been out of communication with air traffic controllers for over an hour. They turned back and landed safely in Minneapolis, Minn. , the plane's scheduled destination.

The crew told authorities they were distracted during a heated discussion over airline policy, said the National Transportation Safety Board, which is investigating the incident. airport

More at...

>>>http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_NORTHWEST_AIRPORT_OVERFLOWN?SITE=DCSAS&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

I see two more people joining the ranks of unemployment very soon. Hope they enjoyed the nap.

wondering what else they might have been doing

Being from Northern Michigan, NorthWest is the only carrier that is allowed to fly into many smaller airports. I've never flown that line, without having flights drastically overbooked, delays experienced in take offs and landings, and having the gate-agents (in Detroit Metro) beg for some one to give up seats for "free coupons" for flights to use another time......

If at all possible, I will NEVER fly them again. To the point that, I will fly as close as I can to my Mich. destination with another carrier, then rent a car and drive the remainder of the trip!!

Just another service company who has forgotten what customer service is!

I am voting for asleep. It was reported today both pilots are in there 50's.

I am willing to bet this plane/crew is based out of MSP. So I think it goes like this, in the morning they fly from MSP to someplace out west Seatle, SF maybe LAX, then down to SD I doubt it was just a a flight out to SD and back, it was also reported they were late leaving SD, these days it is dark by 6:30 PM CDT they lost contact around 7PM so here we have it two older guys sitting there the plane is on auto pilot it has been a long day maybe a long couple of days it just got dark next thing you know ZZZZ

quote:

Originally posted by ETCPJ:
I am voting for asleep. It was reported today both pilots are in there 50's.

I am willing to bet this plane/crew is based out of MSP. So I think it goes like this, in the morning they fly from MSP to someplace out west Seatle, SF maybe LAX, then down to SD I doubt it was just a a flight out to SD and back, it was also reported they were late leaving SD, these days it is dark by 6:30 PM CDT they lost contact around 7PM so here we have it two older guys sitting there the plane is on auto pilot it has been a long day maybe a long couple of days it just got dark next thing you know ZZZZ

The cockpit voice recorder will tell the tale of whether they were arguing or snoring.

The type that plane had ONLY records the last 30 minutes. It was MORE than 30 minutes from when they started responding agin to when they were at the gate so any snoring will have been "taped over"

So as long as the two of them stick to their stories there will be NO difinitive evidence to the contary.

Pilot to Co-Pilot: "Left turn Clyde!"

Frisco

One passenger to another:

"Ma, I thought you said we were going to Minneapolis! That's it right below us!"

Heard over the intercom:

"Ladies and gentlemen, this is your Captain speaking. We'll be arriving in Minneapolis soon, so please sit down and fasten your seatbe..........ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ"

quote:

Originally posted by FriscoLady01:
Pilot to Co-Pilot: "Left turn Clyde!"

Frisco

All on board that plane are lucky to be alive, cause the News reported that the WI ANG had F-16's on the tarmac getting ready to investigate this wayward airliner. Who knows what would've happened had they been unable to regain contact with that NW plane, could it have been blown out of the sky as a security measure? Just wondering..

quote:

Originally posted by blackflagg509:
All on board that plane are lucky to be alive, cause the News reported that the WI ANG had F-16's on the tarmac getting ready to investigate this wayward airliner. Who knows what would've happened had they been unable to regain contact with that NW plane, could it have been blown out of the sky as a security measure? Just wondering..

After 9-11, very possible! We didn't do it then because we didn't realize just what could happen. But that day showed us something we had never seen before and it could/would be justifiable to do just that. To be honest, I am surprised it didn't at least come close to that. But maybe it did come very close and we just haven't been told..........

UPDATE:

-- The FAA says it has revoked the licenses of two Northwest Airlines pilots who overflew a Minnesota airport last week.

From CNN

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. regulators on Tuesday revoked the licenses of two Northwest Air pilots who overflew their destination, telling investigators they lost their bearings while discussing company policy and using their laptops.

The pilots of Northwest Flight 188 from San Diego to Minneapolis on October 21, lost contact with air controllers for more than an hour and missed their destination by 150 miles, aviation officials said.

Both told the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) that they "lost track of time" during conversation on new crew schedules. They were also using their personal laptop computers as part of that discussion, officials said.

The schedules were put in place as a result of Northwest's merger with Delta Air Lines Inc in 2008.

Delta has suspended the pilots, identified by Minneapolis-St. Paul airport police as Timothy Cheney and Richard Irwin Cole, pending the outcome of the NTSB investigation and an internal company probe.

The Federal Aviation Administration revocation cited several violations and is effective immediately. The penalty can be appealed within 10 days to the NTSB, the agency said.

The Delta pilots union, the Air Line Pilots Association, urged NTSB investigators to proceed cautiously and avoid a "rush to judgment."

"We implore all interested parties to move with deliberate and unemotional professionalism as the events surrounding this incident are investigated," said Lee Moak, chairman of the Delta's pilots union.

quote:

Originally posted by EAG154:

quote:

Originally posted by IHAWKER:
Pilots should have had warning of airport approach

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Air traffic controllers, other pilots and even a flight attendant on an intercom tried desperately to talk to two Northwest Airlines pilots as their plane flew 150 miles past its destination before turning back.

Unable to raise Flight 188, police and FBI agents on the ground were preparing for the worst, and the Air National Guard put fighter jets on alert at two locations as the drama unfolded Wednesday night.

Pilots from two other planes in the vicinity were finally able to reach the pilots using a different radio frequency, a controllers union spokesman said. A flight attendant in the cabin also was able to contact them by intercom, said a source close to the investigation who wasn't authorized to talk publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

By that time, the Airbus A320 was over Eau Claire, Wis., and the pilots had been out of communication with air traffic controllers for over an hour. They turned back and landed safely in Minneapolis, Minn. , the plane's scheduled destination.

The crew told authorities they were distracted during a heated discussion over airline policy, said the National Transportation Safety Board, which is investigating the incident. airport

More at...

>>>http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_NORTHWEST_AIRPORT_OVERFLOWN?SITE=DCSAS&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

I see two more people joining the ranks of unemployment very soon. Hope they enjoyed the nap.

wondering what else they might have been doing

The latest that I heard was that they were frolicking. I think that the right word is "cavorting".